New York City Traffic Violations Bureau

What is the New York City Traffic Violations Bureau

Until 1969 all New York City traffic tickets were handled in the New York City Criminal Court. The steady increase in traffic tickets over the years caused a backlog of criminal cases, which are considered more important. To remedy this, the state legislature created the Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB), which would handle all traffic tickets issued in New York City. The only exceptions would be criminal charges, traffic tickets issued with criminal charges, and traffic tickets issued to corporations instead of drivers.

How are Traffic Tickets Handled in the New York TVB?

Traffic tickets in the TVB are handled in a manner that is much different than how traffic tickets are handled in the rest of the state (and county). Whereas in local justice courts, most traffic tickets are resolved with a plea bargain or a diversion program, this is not the case in the TVB. Plea bargaining is not permitted. This means if you want to contest the ticket you will have to have a hearing before an administrative law judge. The odds of winning a case in the TVB is not high, as explained below.

Will the Police Officer Show Up?

Many motorists assume that if they push off the case for a long time, the police officer will not appear. While the passage of time increases the odds of a no-show, it is not substantial. Most New York City tickets are adjudicated several years after the date of the violation. NYPD officers almost always show up to the hearing, even if it is many years later. In fact, most tickets being adjudicated in the TVB are for tickets that were issued a few years prior to the date of the hearing. If the ticketing police officer is no longer employed by the NYPD then the TVB will dismiss the ticket and the hearing will be cancelled. If the hearing is scheduled, it means the officer is still employed by the NYPD and will be ordered to appear to testify at the hearing. If your only hope is for the officer not showing up, then prepare to be disappointed.

Do the Points Count After Eighteen Months?

A common misconception is that once eighteen months pass from the date of the violation, the “points don’t count.” This is not true. The conviction or the guilty plea will impact your license and will impact your insurance rates. The violation that you received more than eighteen months ago will not combine with any violation that you receive now, but that is true irrespective of whether you plead guilty at the time of the violation or more than eighteen months later. More detailed information about this issue can be found at “How Long Do Points Last on My Driver’s License?"

Properly Contesting a Traffic Ticket in the New York TVB

Contesting a ticket in the TVB is not easy. Some motorists come to court with the plan of disputing the allegations. This rarely works. With all things being equal, the judge will believe the police officer over the motorist in the vast majority of instances. Some motorists come to court with big plans of cross-examination or plans of presenting an elaborate defense. Unfortunately, without a law degree and without experience in the TVB, such endeavors are likely to fail. The only time presenting a counter-narrative has a good odds of working is where there is evidence supporting your claims. The evidence must be solid, such as dashcam footage or an uninvolved witness.

Your best shot at beating the ticket is not by presenting counter-narratives to the judge, but by finding problems or issues with the officer’s evidence or the officer’s version of events. The police officer has the burden of presenting a prima facie case. The officer must list all the elements of the particular violation that is charged. The ticket, officer notes, and oral testimony must be proper. If there are any deficiencies or contradictions, whether legal or factual, you can argue for Dismissal or a Not Guilty finding.

Retaining a Traffic Ticket Lawyer

A good traffic ticket attorney improves your odds of beating your ticket. If you retain an attorney, the attorney must be familiar with the specific TVB hearing location and the different requirements and attitudes of each judge. Another advantage to retaining counsel is that your attorney can go to court in your place. It is imperative that you retain a law firm whose primary area of practiced is traffic law. Also important, is not to use apps or companies with vague ownership and vague provenance. If you do not know the name of the attorney that you are retaining then you should stay far away.

Benjamin Goldman Law Office

The Benjamin Goldman Law Office is a New York State law firm that practices Traffic Law. Our firm first opened in 2011 and since then we have handled many hundreds of tickets in the TVB. When our firm is retained we assign an attorney to your case and that attorney will have years of experience fighting traffic tickets in the exact TVB location where your ticket is being adjudicated. Our lawyers fight hard for all cases, doing their utmost to beat the case. The efforts of our team have have paid off. The Benjamin Goldman Law Office has received five-star reviews. The verified testimonials typically speak to the results we obtained and the customer service we provided. Our team will be glad to help with your ticket. Contact us at your convenience.

Where Do I go for my Ticket?

There are eight hearing locations in New York City, two in Brooklyn, two in Manhattan, two in Queens, one in The Bronx and one in Staten Island. For the boros with two locations, there is a north location and south location. The locations are divided by precincts and your ticket will be adjudicated at the location that handles the precinct of the ticketing officers. The exception is tickets issued by officers of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (“TBTA” of “MTA”) and troopers of the New York State Police. Their tickets are not necessarily adjudicated at the TVB location that matches the location of the ticket. It may be in another borough entirely.

TVB Locations

The Bronx (Bronx County)
696 East Fordham Road
Bronx, New York 10458

Brooklyn North (Kings County)
Atlantic Center Mall
2nd Floor
625 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11217

Brooklyn South (Kings County)
2875 West 8th Street
Brooklyn, New York 11224

Manhattan North (New York County)
5 West 125th street
New York, New York 10027

Manhattan South (New York County)
17 Battery Place
10th Floor
New York, New York 10004

Queens North (Queens County)
30-56 Whitestone Expressway
2nd Floor
Flushing, New York 11354

Queens South (Queens County)
168-35 Rockaway Boulevard
2nd Floor
Jamaica, New York 11434

Staten Island (Richmond County)
West Shore Plaza
1775 South Avenue
Suite 2
Staten Island, New York 10314